Dallas Shopping

One sure sign that a city has come of age is the number of shopping options available to the general public. Most cities, even small ones, have a shopping mall and a street or two that is full of nice shops, restaurants and clubs and Dallas is no exception. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular shopping destinations in the Dallas Metroplex.

Like most folks, the residents of Dallas love malls. One of the biggest malls in the area is NorthPark Center. The mall boasts an area of over two million square feet and over 200 individual stores. NorthPark Center is also considered one of the best high-end malls in the south with anchors like Barneys New York, Nordstrom, Neimen Marcus and Macy’s. The mall, which opened in 1965, also sports an AMC theatre with 15 screens. The NorthPark Center is located near Loop 12 and Highway 75 just north of downtown Dallas. There have even been a pair of movies that have had scenes filmed at this particular mall.

Another major mall attraction is North East mall. With a square footage of 1.7 million square feet, it is the second largest mall in the Metroplex. Located in Hurst, just between Dallas and Fort Worth, the mall boasts anchors like Dillard’s, Sears and JC Penney. Overall, the North East mall has 140 stores and has been open since 1971.

One of the newest shopping experiences in Dallas is the Firewheel Town Center. Opened in 2005 in the city of Garland and designed in the New Urbanism style, the Firewheel Town Center has just under a million square feet, 36 stores and 10 anchors. There are several mall projects on the horizon in the Dallas area, as well.

If malls aren’t your thing, you can still spend the day shopping in the Dallas Metroplex. Every neighborhood has their own separate shopping district, with some ranking ahead of others. Some of the best neighborhood shopping areas can be found in Highland Park, Oak Lawn and in the West End. The West End especially has become a favorite shopping area for locals because of the beautifully restored architecture in the area. Even new buildings that have gone up in the West End must meet strict architecture guidelines, so they “blend in” as much as possible. Many shops in the West End and in Oak Lawn tend to be high end stores, but there is a good mix of antique shops and low cost eateries sprinkled in there, too.

One of the best things city planners have done in both Dallas and Fort Worth is encouraging independent businesses to flourish in downtown and in the suburbs. Many times, small mom and pop stores are forced out due to large malls and chains opening up, and while Dallas has more than its fair share of malls and chain stores, there is an above average selection of street-side shops and restaurants that are ready to be discovered by every new Dallas resident.